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4.25.2012

Real Madrid: Enthusiasm for playing the Champions final

Mourinho said yesterday at the press conference before the game: "I look at the faces of the players and the illusion that they have to play the Champions League final is amazing. They are a young team, but with a huge illusion". Real Madrid coach summed up in these words the feeling of a dressing room in which most have never reached the final of the Champions League.

Real Madrid squad

Seven players in the starting lineup that Jose Mourinho will show tonight have never reached the final. This is the case of Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo (or Coentrao), Khedira, Ozil, Di Maria and Benzema. These seven players are facing the biggest game of their careers. At least at club level, because Ramos knows what is to play and win a World Cup final and an European Cup final.

Among the players who are on the bench, there are many newcomers in a scenario like tonight. This is the case of Adam, Varane, Sahin, Callejon, Higuain and Granero. Six players who will cheer from the bench as a fan more, who suffer and push as any of the starters.

Among the experts, in addition to Jose Mourinho who has won two European Cups, seven players have played a final, but only one with Real Madrid, Iker Casillas. Arbeloa and Alonso have played finals with Liverpool. Kaka, wearing a Milan shirt, has also played two finals, both against Liverpool and getting the title in one of them. The same thing happens to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has played two and emerged victorious in one; he won against Chelsea at 07-08 season. Carvalho, in Oporto, under orders from Mourinho, also knows what it is to win. The last player in the squad of Real Madrid who knows what is to play the final of Europe's top competition is Altintop, who played for Bayern against Mourinho's Internazinale.

The excitement among the players of Real Madrid is so great that many started a string in the social network Twitter calling for support for the match at the Bernabeu tonight. Kaka was the first with this message: "Tomorrow we play the biggest game of the year at the Bernabeu. We will give everything, but need something more". Following this call, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa and Cristiano Ronaldo exchanged messages asking for fans' support and fill the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.